Mine material processing apparatus including gas spring wheel assemblies and related methods
A mine material processing apparatus may include a rotatable drum to process mine material, and wheel assemblies configured for rotation of the rotatable drum. Each wheel assembly may include an inner rim, an outer rim surrounding the inner rim, and gas springs operatively coupled between the inner rim and the outer rim.
1. A mine material processing apparatus comprising:
a rotatable drum to process mine material; and
a plurality of wheel assemblies configured for rotation of the rotatable drum, each wheel assembly comprising
an inner rim comprising a plurality of arcuate inner rim segments coupled together to define a circular inner rim,
an outer rim surrounding the inner rim, and
a plurality of gas springs operatively coupled between said inner rim and said outer rim.
2. The mine material processing apparatus of claim 1 comprising at least one drive motor coupled to the inner rim of at least one of said plurality of wheel assemblies.
3. The mine material processing apparatus of claim 1 comprising a respective drive motor coupled to the inner rim of each of said plurality of wheel assemblies.
4. The mine material processing apparatus of claim 1 wherein each wheel assembly comprises an outer ring coupled to said outer rim and defining a closable gap with adjacent portions of said inner rim to define a mechanical stop to limit relative movement between said inner rim and said outer rim.
5. The mine material processing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said outer rim comprises a plurality of arcuate outer rim segments coupled together to define a circular outer rim.
6. The mine material processing apparatus of claim 1 wherein each wheel assembly comprises a tread body carried by said outer rim.
7. The mine material processing apparatus of claim 6 wherein said tread body has an outer contact surface, an inboard side, and an outboard side, and a plurality of embedded passageways below the outer contact surface and extending between the inboard and outboard sides.
8. The mine material processing apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of gas springs comprises a double-acting gas cylinder and associated piston.
9. A wheel assembly for a mine material processing apparatus comprising a rotatable drum to process mine material, the wheel assembly configured for rotation of the rotatable drum and comprising:
an inner rim comprising a plurality of arcuate inner rim segments coupled together to define a circular inner rim;
an outer rim surrounding the inner rim; and
a plurality of gas springs operatively coupled between said inner rim and said outer rim.
10. The wheel assembly of claim 9 comprising an outer ring coupled to said outer rim and defining a closable gap with adjacent portions of said inner rim to define a mechanical stop to limit relative movement between said inner rim and said outer rim.
11. The wheel assembly of claim 9 wherein said outer rim comprises a plurality of arcuate outer rim segments coupled together to define a circular outer rim.
12. The wheel assembly of claim 9 comprising a tread body carried by said outer rim.
13. A method of processing mine material comprising:
operating a plurality of wheel assemblies to rotate a rotatable drum to process the mine material, each wheel assembly comprising an inner rim comprising a plurality of arcuate inner rim segments coupled together to define a circular inner rim, an outer rim surrounding the inner rim, and a plurality of gas springs operatively coupled between the inner rim and the outer rim.
14. The method of claim 13 comprising operating at least one drive motor coupled to the inner rim of at least one of the plurality of wheel assemblies.
15. The method of claim 13 comprising operating a respective drive motor coupled to the inner rim of each of the plurality of wheel assemblies.
16. A method of making an apparatus for processing mine material comprising:
arranging a plurality of wheel assemblies for rotation of a rotatable drum to process the mine material, each wheel assembly comprising an inner rim comprising a plurality of arcuate inner rim segments coupled together to define a circular inner rim, an outer rim surrounding the inner rim, and a plurality of gas springs operatively coupled between the inner rim and the outer rim.
17. The method of claim 16 comprising coupling at least one drive motor to the inner rim of at least one of the plurality of wheel assemblies.
18. The method of claim 16 comprising coupling a respective drive motor coupled to the inner rim of each of the plurality of wheel assemblies.
19. The method of claim 16 wherein each wheel assembly comprises an outer ring coupled to the outer rim and defining a closable gap with adjacent portions of the inner rim to define a mechanical stop to limit relative movement between the inner rim and the outer rim.
20. The method of claim 16 wherein each wheel assembly comprises a tread body carried by the outer rim.
21. A mine material processing apparatus comprising:
a rotatable drum to process mine material; and
a plurality of wheel assemblies configured for rotation of the rotatable drum, each wheel assembly comprising
an inner rim,
an outer rim surrounding the inner rim and comprising a plurality of arcuate outer rim segments coupled together to define a circular outer rim, and
a plurality of gas springs operatively coupled between said inner rim and said outer rim.
22. The mine material processing apparatus of claim 21 comprising at least one drive motor coupled to the inner rim of at least one of said plurality of wheel assemblies.
23. The mine material processing apparatus of claim 21 comprising a respective drive motor coupled to the inner rim of each of said plurality of wheel assemblies.
24. The mine material processing apparatus of claim 21 wherein each wheel assembly comprises an outer ring coupled to said outer rim and defining a closable gap with adjacent portions of said inner rim to define a mechanical stop to limit relative movement between said inner rim and said outer rim.
25. A wheel assembly for a mine material processing apparatus comprising a rotatable drum to process mine material, the wheel assembly configured for rotation of the rotatable drum and comprising:
an inner rim;
an outer rim surrounding the inner rim and comprising a plurality of arcuate outer rim segments coupled together to define a circular outer rim; and
a plurality of gas springs operatively coupled between said inner rim and said outer rim.
26. The wheel assembly of claim 25 comprising an outer ring coupled to said outer rim and defining a closable gap with adjacent portions of said inner rim to define a mechanical stop to limit relative movement between said inner rim and said outer rim.
27. A mine material processing apparatus comprising:
a rotatable drum to process mine material; and
a plurality of wheel assemblies configured for rotation of the rotatable drum, each wheel assembly comprising
an inner rim,
an outer rim surrounding the inner rim,
a plurality of gas springs operatively coupled between said inner rim and said outer rim, and
a tread body carried by said outer rim, said tread body having an outer contact surface, an inboard side, and an outboard side, and a plurality of embedded passageways below the outer contact surface and extending between the inboard and outboard sides.
28. The mine material processing apparatus of claim 27 comprising at least one drive motor coupled to the inner rim of at least one of said plurality of wheel assemblies.
29. The mine material processing apparatus of claim 27 comprising a respective drive motor coupled to the inner rim of each of said plurality of wheel assemblies.
30. The mine material processing apparatus of claim 27 wherein each wheel assembly comprises an outer ring coupled to said outer rim and defining a closable gap with adjacent portions of said inner rim to define a mechanical stop to limit relative movement between said inner rim and said outer rim.
31. A wheel assembly for a mine material processing apparatus comprising a rotatable drum to process mine material, the wheel assembly configured for rotation of the rotatable drum and comprising:
an inner rim;
an outer rim surrounding the inner rim;
a plurality of gas springs operatively coupled between said inner rim and said outer rim; and
a tread body carried by said outer rim, said tread body having an outer contact surface, an inboard side, and an outboard side, and a plurality of embedded passageways below the outer contact surface and extending between the inboard and outboard sides.
32. The wheel assembly of claim 31 comprising an outer ring coupled to said outer rim and defining a closable gap with adjacent portions of said inner rim to define a mechanical stop to limit relative movement between said inner rim and said outer rim.